Knicks Insider: Big men coach sees Kristaps Porzingis as a franchise player
Kristaps Porzingis #6 of the New York Knicks drives to the hoop in the first half against Marc Gasol #33 of the Memphis Grizzlies at Madison Square Garden on Friday, Feb. 5, 2016 in New York City. Credit: Jim McIsaac
Kristaps Porzingis’ play has taken a dip lately. Some nagging injuries and the rigors of the NBA schedule appear to be taking a toll on the rookie big man.
The upcoming All-Star break might be just what he needs to return to the player who opened eyes and turned heads earlier in the season.
Scott Roth, a former NBA player and longtime assistant coach, believes Porzingis will rise again and keep rising.
Roth has an interesting and unique perspective. He works with big men, and before coaching Porzingis with Seville in Spain last season, he coached Pau Gasol and Dirk Nowitzki when they were rookies. Roth believes Porzingis can reach their level.
“The Knicks have a franchise player, as long as he can stay healthy,” Roth said from China in a phone interview. “He’s a great worker, no ego, very humble and as skilled as anyone at his size that’s ever played in the league. They’re just scratching the surface with him.”
As an assistant with the Mavericks, Grizzlies, Warriors, Raptors and Pistons, Roth has been around Stephen Curry, Steve Nash, Shane Battier, Gasol and Nowitzki in their formative years. Roth said Porzingis shares something with them.
“They just have that IT factor,” Roth said. “I don’t know what it is, but they have that IT factor.”
Roth, who has been in China for five months while mentoring the new coach for the Yao Ming-owned Shanghai Sharks, also has worked with Toronto center Jonas Valanciunas and former Knick Andrea Bargnani. Roth had no doubt that Porzingis would succeed because of his maturity and drive and the NBA game.
“The NBA style of play was going to be much more conducive to him being a better player,’’ he said. “In Europe, they just beat the crap out of him. There’s no freedom of movement. The NBA, the game is about skill and spacing the floor and freedom of movement, and he’s playing with much better players. I’m not surprised by what he’s done at all.”
Before his 17-point, 10-rebound game Friday night against Memphis, Porzingis averaged 11.0 points and 5.6 rebounds and shot 36 percent in his previous six games. Overall, he’s averaging 13.7 points, 7.6 rebounds and 1.92 blocks and has won all three Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month awards to this point.
Gasol was the Rookie of the Year while playing for Roth. Nowitzki struggled during his first season. Roth said Nowitzki “got trampled on” because he came in during a lockout year and was thrown into the starting lineup. He became an all-time great.
Roth said Porzingis was more ready to play immediately and is ahead at this stage of their careers.
“I thought he was the best player in the draft,” he said. “That doesn’t take anything away from the other guys drafted ahead of him. I just thought he was the best player with the biggest upside. He played at a high level last year in a very tough league. So he was pretty seasoned and ready to break out.
“If he could have a career like Dirk Nowitzki, and there’s nothing that says that he won’t, he’s going to have a great career. I think he’s as good a shooter as Dirk. It’s just a matter of him staying healthy, his body naturally progressing. He’s going to get better. He’s a worker. That’s just how he is.”
What’s the point?
If the Knicks can’t upgrade at point guard by the Feb. 18 trade deadline, they’ll try in the offseason.
Two potential free-agent targets were in New York on Friday as Mike Conley Jr. and Rajon Rondo faced the Knicks and Nets, respectively.
Conley loves Memphis but said “everything will be on the table.” Rondo didn’t exactly leave the door open, saying “the triangle’s not really a good look for me, I don’t think.”
Amar’e renaissance
Amar’e Stoudemire became an impact player for the Heat recently. He started six games at center after Hassan Whiteside was injured and continues to start now that Whiteside has returned.
The Heat is 7-1 when Stoudemire starts. He’s averaging 9.0 points and 7.8 rebounds in those games.
Stoudemire appeared in three of Miami’s first 28 games and played a total of 27 minutes. “I just stayed humble, knowing eventually all the hard work would pay off,” he said. “Patience is a virtue. Stay humble. Stay ready . . . My job is to help this team win.”
Lue’s Zen moment
Cavs coach Tyronn Lue played under Phil Jackson and used one of his tactics in his sixth game as David Blatt’s successor.
Indiana scored the first 10 points of the third quarter Monday, but Lue didn’t call timeout. He wanted his players to figure it out. Cleveland won in OT.
“They were looking to me to bail them out,” Lue said. “ I know I’m not in a position this early in my career, but I wouldn’t call a timeout. And I wouldn’t even look at them. I was like, ‘Y’all dug this hole. Then get out of it.’ ”
“I know I ain’t nowhere close to Phil, but that’s something [from him].”
Fast breaks
Celtics All-Star guard Isaiah Thomas, who is averaging 25.0 points and 7.3 assists in three games against the Knicks this season, was taken 60th in the 2011 draft. He’s the lowest-picked player to make an All-Star team since the NBA went to two draft rounds in 1989. He’s also tied with 5-9 Calvin Murphy as the shortest player selected for the All-Star team . . . After facing constant double- or triple-teams in Tuesday’s loss in Houston, Heat forward Chris Bosh joked that he told Rockets coach J.B. Bickerstaff, “ ‘You made me feel special, man.’ It made me feel like a first date or something like that.” . . . After losing four starters, including LaMarcus Aldridge, the Trail Blazers were projected to be one of the NBA’s worst teams. They’ve won nine of 12 and began yesterday a game out of the Western Conference’s final playoff spot. Third-year guard C.J. McCollum is a leading candidate for Most Improved Player. He’s gone from averaging 6.8 points last season to 20.9 this season.
In good company
Like Porzingis, Minnesota’s Karl-Anthony Towns has won all three Rookie of the Month awards in the Western Conference. They’re the first two to sweep the first three months in both conferences since LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony in 2003-04. The two went on to win the honors every month and James was named Rookie of the Year.
Al Iannazzone covers the Jets for Newsday after spending nearly two decades on the NBA beat with Knicks and Nets.
